Light Source Unit with Segmented Metal Base for Lens Heat Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light source units face issues with heat transfer from light sources to converging lenses, leading to thermal lens effect, focal misalignment, and damage, which affects the efficient incidence of light onto an optical fiber.
Innovation Solution
A light source unit design featuring a metal base that holds light sources, converging lenses, and optical fiber connectors, with specific regions and spaces to accommodate these components, ensuring heat dissipation and precise alignment, including positioning features for accurate fixation and optical axis adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the converging lens is disposed closer to the object by holding it together with the light sources using the holder, then the light from the object can be more efficiently incident on the optical fiber, but heat generated in the light sources is easily transferred to the converging lens causing thermal lens effect, focal position misalignment, or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into distinct regions: a first region for accommodating the converging lens and optical fiber connector, and a second region for accommodating light sources. This spatial segmentation prevents heat from light sources from reaching the converging lens while maintaining efficient optical alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The base structure acts as a thermal intermediary by positioning components at different locations within the same base. The first region and second region serve as separate thermal zones, with the base material itself acting as a thermal manager to isolate heat from the converging lens.
2Strength
If the converging lens is fixed to the holder using resin, then the converging lens can be securely held, but fixing strength decreases due to heat, so that optical axis misalignment occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The converging lens is extracted from the heat-affected zone by placing it in the first region separate from the light sources in the second region. This eliminates the thermal environment that would otherwise degrade resin bonding strength and cause misalignment.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the base have different thermal characteristics. The first region where the converging lens is located has better thermal isolation from the light sources, creating a localized cool zone that preserves the integrity of resin-based fixing and maintains optical alignment precision.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the first region is made thicker to accommodate the converging lens and optical fiber connector, then the converging lens can be protected from heat, but the overall device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base has non-uniform thickness with the first region being thicker than the second region. This local quality variation provides thermal protection for the converging lens where needed while minimizing overall material usage and device size in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the base thickness uniformly in all directions, the design uses dimensional variation by making the first region thicker only in the direction perpendicular to the light path, providing targeted thermal protection without excessive volume increase.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design reduces heat influence on converging lenses, prevents optical axis misalignment, and enhances the efficient incidence of light onto the optical fiber, while allowing easy mounting and adjustment of light sources.
Implementation Method 1
a base made of metal and configured to hold the light sources, the converging lens, and the optical fiber connector
Implementation Method 2
a converging lens configured to converge light from the object
Data Source
AI summary
A light source unit includes a plurality of light sources for emitting light with which an object is to be irradiated; a converging lens for converging light from the object; an optical fiber connector for holding an optical fiber that receives an incidence of the light converged by the converging lens; and a base made of metal and configured to hold the light sources, the converging lens, and the optical fiber connector. The base includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first region including a center of the base when viewed in a first direction intersecting the first surface, a second region surrounding the first region when viewed in the first direction.